In Australia, the age for sexual consent, holding a driver’s licence and legally consuming alcohol are all higher than the age of criminal responsibility, that is, the age at which children are held criminally responsible for their actions. In Australia, this age is 10; however, the UNCRC (United Nations Convention on the rights of the Child) considers any age of criminal responsibility below 12 as unacceptable. Given this fact, is there an argument for raising the legal age of criminal responsibility?
作者：Natalie Sutherland
1. Pressure or enforcement on children from Adults to carry out criminal activity on there behalf, knowing a child couldnt' be held responsible until an older age would increase criminal activity rate.
2. If a child is old enough at 10yo to commit a serious crime, then they should be old enough to learn they are to be held responsible for their actions?
3. By the age of 10, a child should understand right from wrong, but do they have the mental capacity to understand what it means in the legal system?
4. Should an innocent 10 yo child have to be put through the stress of the legal system so their innocence can be proved, when they have been wrongly accused?
5. Does a 10 yo who is committing crimes, need punishing or helping?
6. If parents aren't actively supervising, teaching or disciplining their children at the age of 10, then is it left up to the justice system to do this?
7. Is Childrens crime in Australia lower than those countries that have adapted the UNCRC age of 12?
8. Should the parents be accountable for this?
9. The older the child, the worse the problem will become?
